“Wait—what elections?”
“My parents are knee-deep in politics. I don’t want to say what rolls they play but my father is a very important person.”
He pulled her in his arms holding her tight. Whispering, he said, “Okay, I get it. You don’t have to say anymore; I’ve heard enough.”
Nicole’s body shook uncontrollably. The heaviness lifted from her chest although the tears still refused to fall. The burden she carried around inside for years, ebbing away at her soul had finally been set free, somewhat. She felt different; odd. Almost as if releasing the anger for her father, to a stranger, was therapeutic.
“Nicole, put your arms around me,” he said against the side of her face.
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Her arms lifted from her sides to circle his back. Her head nestled on his shoulder. She had never been in such an intimate position on purpose.
“How does it feel to you?” He asked.
“Nice,” she whispered.
“Do you want to hold me tighter?”
A broken affirmative tumbled from her mouth. “Y-e-s, but I’m scared to do that.”
“Why are you scared?”
“My father’s blood runs through me. I don’t want to treat another human the way he treated me.”
Walker broke the embrace and tilted her head to look at him. “Nicole, you are not your father. You broke his hold by walking away and never going back.”
“That doesn’t prove I have a loving heart. It only proves my intolerance for people like him.”
He shook his head. “The smile, the glow your eyes give when you talk. You are a woman meant to be loved. I want to be the man to love you.”
“How can you be so sure I’m the one?”
“We’re both yearning for love, Nicole. We met at the time I should’ve been devastated, but all I could think about was you. So, I said to myself, how am I going to get this woman, with the movie-star smile, to notice me?”
“And, what answer did you give yourself?”
He raised a lazy eye and said, “I said self, Nicole is a craving I cannot resist. To lead her into temptation, you will have to bait and lure her. So put on your big boy pants, buckle the belt tight, and get that girl.”
Nicole dragged her gaze away. She wanted to move away from him, but the minimal struggles she attempted grew useless against his strong arms holding her. “We’re not doing this. I am not yearning for love.”
“Let me prove it. Are you going to protest if I do this?” He bent his head to kiss her forehead.
“No, that was an innocent kiss.”
“What if I kiss you here?” His lips trailed down the length of her nose to linger on the tip.
“Why don’t we stop playing games, and get to the nitty-gritty.” She grabbed his head pressing her lips against his. The softness of his flesh caused her to release a gratifying moan. She deepened the kiss, letting her tongue slip inside his mouth to explore. Her lips parted giving him access to explore her territory.
Walker nipped at her lips before breaking the kiss. “Well, I think I proved my point,” he said in a heavy laced voice.
“What usually follows a kiss like that is what you expect next, right?” She asked huskily, finding her throat dry. Nicole placed her palm on his sternum running her hand down the center of his shirt, before pausing over his abdomen. Her fingers could feel the firm, taut muscles beneath. As she gently stroked his washboard stomach thought the cotton shirt, Nicole felt him involuntarily twitch.
“Umm, no,” he paused, clearing his throat as he sought to assert control over his unruly muscles. “We will take this slow and get to know each other before jumping into bed.”
Wonderful! Get me riled and decide now is the time to practice morals. Nicole felt his hands on her sides holding her body slightly away from him. It was too late to hide his arousal; she felt the swelling protruding from his groin against her belly. Her own arousal dampened her underwear.
“If that is what you want,” she said adjusting her body, so her chest was no longer pressed flushed against him but tilted enough so the V-neck of the sweatshirt revealed she was braless.
Walker’s breath was coming hot and fast as his eyes zeroed in on the firm mound peeking from the neck of the sweatshirt. His hands traveled to rest on the outer curve of her breasts where he discovered she wasn’t wearing a bra. Unconsciously, his thumbs brushed across her nipples causing her to jump. “I intended to tempt you, not the other way around,” he said lustfully.
An ear-piercing blare filled the apartment breaking them apart. “Doggone it! I forgot I had food in the oven,” Nicole cursed, while skirting to the kitchen. Snatching opened the oven door she used oven mitts to remove the smoldering chicken. Taking off the foil, the liquids had dried searing the fowl and vegetables to the bottom of the glass baking dish.
“Well, there goes my dinner,” she laughed.
Walker leaned over her shoulder turning his nose. “Poor fella didn’t have a chance and took a few friends down with him.”
“Wow, on top of being handsome and good listener, you’re funny too!”
“You get the whole package with me. Besides, I’d whether take my girl out to eat. We can celebrate.”
“Celebrate what?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? You are my girl now, and nothing is going to come between us.”
“Walker, I didn’t agree to that and we should talk about it more.”
“Talk is cheap, Nicole. I’m for showing and proving the naysayers wrong.”
“According to your mother, you will be ousted from the family. Is the risk of being with me worth writing off millions of dollars?”
His long fingers massaged her shoulder muscles in a circulation motion. “I can’t be cast from something I was never a part of to begin with, Nicole. As far as the money goes, I can’t miss something I’ve never had.”
“You have answers for everything, don’t you?”
“Not all the time. But, I want to know if you are willing to stand by my side and fight the haters?”
Her necked rolled from the pressure of his fingers kneading her muscles. “So together you’re saying we could send these misfits causing us misery to hell, and live a life of no regrets?”
“You hold open the furnace door while I punt them through the goal post,” he said turning her to face him.
She balled her fist shaking it in the air. “I have never backed away from a fight and lord knows I’ve had a lot of them. But, unfortunately this is a fight where you have too much to lose. Walker, you should really think about what’s at stake.”
“I’m not taking no for an answer.”
She shook her head. “I’m not giving you a yes.”
“Nicole what can I do to get you to change your mind? I will do anything you need me to do.”
“I need you to not press me about this.” She wiggled free from his grip grumbling.
“Why, Nicole? I need solid reasons why you won’t at least give it a shot.”
“It would be a huge mistake.”
“Because you don’t believe you can love a person because of your father? That is stupid, baby.”
“Walker, I know myself. I have never cared about anything or anyone but me. When my business bellied-up, it proved my father was right about me. I’m nothing and will always be on the outside looking in.”
“Nicole, you cared about your grandmother. You helped Patty with her bridesmaid crisis. Sweetheart, you care about people whether you know it or not.”
“Right, I do care about people to an extent, but it doesn’t prove I can devote myself to a person for the rest of my life. This is hard for me, Walker. I’m thirty-one years old. Because of the way I grew up, I didn’t have friends, much less boyfriends. As I got older, I met a man that was a friend and we became friends with benefits.”
“Excuse me, but what?”
“I didn’t go to private schools but had tutors until I wen
t to college. I stayed to myself because I didn’t know how to blend in with people who lived a normal childhood. So I hung with the loners and losers, and met a guy from that group. He was my only male friend during college. When he wanted more, and I couldn’t provide him with more, he moved on. He met another woman and today he is a successful businessman with a wife and kids and I’m still me; a loner.”
“Did you at least give it a shot before dismissing him?”
“No, because I knew it wouldn’t work.” Exasperated she went to the living room to get his coat. “You should go check on your mom.”
“Nicole, are you seriously throwing me out? I thought we were making progress.”
“I’m saving you from making the worst mistake of your life. I enjoyed the kiss, I even feel better after emptying my baggage on you, but, you deserve better.”
“You are so wrong; I deserve you. I’m not giving up on us.”
She folded her arms resting her weight on one leg. “Do you want kids one day?”
He nodded. “Maybe one day, why do you ask?”
“Imagine this. We get together, get married and have a couple of cute babies. On a lazy Saturday morning, we’re lying around, and the kids ask about our extended families. Granted your mom may be involved in their lives if she gets over the fact I’m black. My parents, on the other hand, wouldn’t know they exist.”
“We’ll love our kids enough so they won’t ask those types of questions.”
“Kids are curious and will want to know everything about their heritage.”
“You are reaching, Nicole. You have to do better than that.”
“Okay, how about this one. My father told me I was a mistake. In order for me never to say that to anyone, I have to stay away from people like you.”
“People like me. What the hell does that mean?” He asked frowning.
“You are the type of person that wants to be a part of something. You want marriage, to reproduce. You want to sit on the porch and grow old with your spouse. None of that can be done with me. I’m in this world alone and I will die alone.”
He grabbed her by the shoulders shaking her. “Woman, you are punishing yourself. YOU are continuing where your old man left off. Nicole, let it go and move forward.”
She stomped her foot on the floor. “I was nine, Walker! I was nine-years old when he told me he wished I was never born. I don’t ever want to hear those words come from my mouth to the ears of a child of mine.”
“Your self-worth is shot to hell and I’m going to help you fix it. I will prove you are important, and the air you breathe is for a reason.”
Her eyes remained free of tears. “I appreciate the concern but it won’t work. I refuse to bring you into my living hell.” She caressed his face. “Goodbye, Walker. I truly hope you find a woman to shower you with true love and affection. I’m just not the one.”
“You don’t have to live this way. I’ll change all of it for you.”
“Baby, this is just beginning. What I have planned will reveal my dear father’s deepest secrets, and I will get my revenge. Of course, he will come after me with guns ablaze, and you or anyone else don’t need to be a part of it,” she said shoving him towards the door.
“Nicole, don’t plot revenge against your father. It will come back to haunt you. The best revenge you can get against him is letting him know he didn’t break you.”
“He did break me. It is now up to me to stop him before he makes a bid for the White House in two years.”
“Dammit, listen to me!”
“I’m sorry you wasted your time for nothing. Although, I am glad I got to talk to you one last time. I do have to eat and get to bed. Take care, Walker Albright,” she said closing the door in his face.
Chapter Seven
Walker stormed from the apartment building to his truck. Snatching his cell phone from the console he started to dial a number until he saw the clock; it was too late to call anyone. Starting the truck he pulled from the curb to head to the hotel. His head was banging, and he hoped the bar was open. He needed a beer to mull over what to do about Nicole. Despite her erratic behavior, he felt it was his duty to keep her from destroying her life.
Arriving at the hotel, he entered the adjoining door connecting the two rooms together. His mother was sitting in bed watching television. “What are you still doing up.”
“Thank God you are back,” she answered clicking off the TV. “So how did it go with the young lady?”
“I don’t want to talk about it. You should get to sleep; I want to leave for home early in the morning.”
“Walker, what happened? Did she reject you?”
“Mom, I have a lot on my mind, and I don’t want to discuss it. Good night,” he said going to his room.
Kicking off his shoes, he laid on the bed. His headache hadn’t subsided with the two beers he drank. If anything, it intensified. He couldn’t wrap his head around the Nicole he saw tonight and the woman he met three months ago. The sweet woman he rescued from the snow was not present tonight. This woman was bitter, cold, and determined to get revenge against a man that had brainwashed her since birth.
He sat on the side of the bed removing his shirt. It smelled of her perfume. When he scrubbed his hands down the scruff surface of his face, he smelled her on his hands. Her beautiful face hid her pain well. He thought he had problems, but nothing compared to what she was dealing with. It was no wonder she was confused and angry. He had his mother to bitch to about his life; Nicole had no one but herself. She’d been on her own since a young age and the roots of her anger were buried deep—maybe too deep for him to uproot.
A laissez-faire attitude was out of the question for her. She had every right to be pissed at life. His mission was to find a way for her to be pissed and stay out of jail.
He took off his pants getting under the cover. The drive to Cleveland would be to drop his mom off and tie together a few loose ends at work then back to Columbus to work on Nicole.
*****
At seven o’clock in the morning, Nicole wiped down the shower stall and shook the excess water from the shower curtain to avoid mildew buildup around the bathtub. Securing the towel around her wet body, she hung the shower cap on the hook on the back of the door and left the bathroom. She was running late for work but really didn’t care if she got there on time or not.
Sitting on the bed, she hurried to rub lotion between her hands to smooth on her arms and legs. She wouldn’t be running late had she not sat up half the night regretting her actions. She made the mistake of letting Walker in her private life. Once he’d left, the self-pity party began until she fell asleep. Today was a new day, and she had to bottle away the emotions in order to face the public.
Done with the lotion, she went to the dresser to spray a touch of vanilla body oil on her body and comb her hair. Putting on the freshly ironed khaki pants and blue blouse, she took her shoes and left the bedroom. The telephone was ringing as she left the apartment. The machine would have to answer since there was no time to chat.
Two hours into the work day she sat at her desk munching on half of a cinnamon bagel and drinking a cup of hot tea. Her throat had been tingling, and she wanted to nip whatever bug was nesting inside her body early.
The outside line on her desk phone rang and she answered the call. “IT department; this is Nicole, how may I help you.”
“I need to see you stat. I’ll have a car come for you around noon.”
“Excuse me, but who is this?” She asked frowning into the phone.
“Nicole, you know damn well who this is. Just be outside at noon and not a minute later.”
The chilling flashback of the icy voice she had not heard in years singed her ears. Nicole’s stomach yanked to a tight ball straining not to regurgitate the bagel and tea bubbling fiercely in her gut.
“How the hell did you find me?”
“I have my ways. Anyhow, this is not a friendly call. I have something for you do to and you’re going t
o do it with a smile.”
“Who do you think you are? I don’t take orders from you anymore.”
“Don’t be stupid, girl, it won’t be a pretty meeting once we are face-to-face. So, make this easy on yourself and do as you’re told.”
Clutching the phone in her hand, she flashed a glance around the room to make sure none of her co-workers was standing over her shoulder. Satisfied they were engaged in other activities she cowered closer to the desk and said in a low but compelling tone. “You’ve just wasted thirty-seconds of your precious time talking to me, because I have no intention of ever seeing you again, unless we’re seated side-by-side in hell.” She started to slam down the phone until she heard him yelling.
“Nicole, if you betray me, you will regret it for the rest of your life. The car will be outside at noon. Make yourself available.”
“Try to bully someone who is afraid of you, Theodore; because it’s not working on me,” she said slamming down the phone.
She got up from the desk trembling. Too many years had passed since she’d last laid eyes on him in person. What did he want or need to talk to her about? He couldn’t possibly want a favor from his worst enemy.
Taking her mug of tea and security badge, she had to get away for a minute to regroup. Walking down the hallway, burly men dressed in overalls, were busy loading office furniture onto wheeled plats. The chatter amongst office workers involved the move to the new building. Those going were excited about the change in scenery while those given the bad news did not have much to say.
Nicole made it almost to the elevator before her named was called. “Nicole, I need help. My computer is frozen, and I can’t get it to do anything. Can you take a quick look?” The sharply dressed woman asked with pleading eyes.
“Sure, Mrs. Colby; I will take a look at your computer.” Nicole followed the woman into her office. Sitting behind a large wood and glass desk, she immediately knew what was wrong. “Mrs. Colby, did you spill anything on the keyboard?” Of course, the woman would deny it even with the drops of liquid pooling on the keys.
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